If you love to knit, you have been here before: New project picked out – check! Yarn purchased and ready – check! Needles the size called for in the pattern – check! Swatch – wait – what??? Swatching sucks, but it is extremely important. In this class you will learn how to swatch in the round with straight needles – it’s a magic trick! Plus, we’ll show you how to do one swatch using several needle sizes to get close to gauge. Please bring one skein of yarn that you would like to use for your project. If you have the pattern for that project, bring it along, too! Bring needles the size recommended on the ball band and two sizes either side of that. For example, if the yarn calls for size 8, bring 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. And these would be highly useful, but are not necessary as the instructor will have some to share: blocking boards, straight pins, locking stitch markers, and a flat ruler at least 4 inches long. We recommend you have some experience with counting stitches and be able to knit and purl.